The present invention relates generally to audio recording and playback devices. More particularly, this invention pertains to recording and playback devices for use in conjunction with musical instruments that are external to the device.
Musicians frequently have a need or desire to record the music that they create on their instruments. In some cases, the recording is made for personal enjoyment. In other circumstances, a recording will be made for more commercial purposes, such as to make a record of a song writing session to create a song demo recording, to create a musical instrument track for editing or mixing, or for archival purposes. Generally, musicians who want to record their music while playing an instrument will have to make special arrangements in a recording studio or use amateur tape recording equipment of their own. While in the recording studio, the musician has access to a variety of sophisticated post-production recording, mixing, and editing equipment. In a home recording setting, editing options are usually far more limited. In either case, the musician must plan the recording session in advance including gathering and connecting sophisticated, bulky recording equipment. During the recording session, the musician is often distracted from the actual playing of the instrument because he must use his hands to control the recording equipment and/or to change or reload the recording media. Even if a musician uses a portable cassette or mini-disc recorder for convenience, neither is specifically adapted for connection directly to an instrument such as a guitar. Moreover, existing portable recording devices have limited functionality and versatility in terms of editing and external connectivity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,912, issued to Eagen, describes an apparatus for digitally recording music from a guitar. The apparatus also allows the user to replay the digitally recorded music. However, the Eagen device does not allow a user to edit the digitally recorded music or to access selected portions of the digitally recorded music.
Conventional portable recording and playback devices from Sharp Corporation and Diamond, such as the Sharp MD-MT821 and the RIO PMP300, provide the ability to digital record music from compact discs or from the Internet for time periods ranging from 1 hour to 8 hours. They do not provide the ability to edit the recorded music or record for longer periods of time. Moreover, these devices are not adapted for recording music directly from a guitar or other musical instrument.
Thus, there is a need for an audio recording and playback device that may be conveniently carried and operated by a musician to record the music he or she creates with a musical instrument. Preferably, such a device will have both internal storage that can easily be cued and reviewed as well as an interface to an external storage and editing device.